Cold Sores
Cold sores, also called herpes labialis, are caused by the herpes simplex virus. Cold sores are different from canker sores in that they are highly contagious, typically spread from one person to another following contact with infected mucous membranes through kissing or oral sex. Most cold sores begin with a tingling sensation, a burning feeling, or tenderness in the area where they are about to appear. They erupt in the form of a blister which eventually crusts over. These sores typically last 10 to 14 days, though they can persist for much longer.
Lysine and Cold Sores
There is some evidence that lysine supplements can limit herpes outbreaks and speed the healing of open cold sores. Lysine is an amino acid, chemically similar to another amino acid called arginine. The herpes simplex strains that cause cold sores have many proteins with high quantities of arginine, including certain proteins that make up the core of the virus. High amounts of lysine can get in the way of arginine, making it hard for the virus to make these proteins that it needs to replicate. Altering the lysine-to-arginine balance in the body can then serve to inhibit viral replication by stunting the production of viral proteins. There is also evidence that lysine can bind to cells, preventing the herpes virus from infecting them.
Quantum Lysine
Quantum Health is a company that makes a variety of supplements, including a oral tablet that is designed to treat cold sores. These cold sore tablets contain, among other ingredients, lysine. Taking lysine supplements increases the amount of lysine in the body, which can then inhibit viral replication. This kind of treatment is most effective as a preventative measure, helping to limit cold sore outbreaks. Because the herpes virus is able to lie dormant in cells, it cannot be cured (as this dormancy makes it invisible to the immune system). However, by making it harder for the virus to replicate, outbreaks can be reduced both in frequency and in duration.
